Combination brooch and earring with cover means for the brooch pin



Dec. 9, 1958 V R. c. BANGS ETAL 2,363,306

COMBINATION BROOCH ,AND EARRING WITH COVER MEANS FOR THE BROOCH PIN Filed Aprll 27, 1956 INVENTOR. 2472 6119a:

@Ma J/wz 23%,306 Patented Dec. 9, 1958 ice essons ClllllllliNATltlN BRQUQH AND EARRING WITH MEANfi FUR THE BRUOCH PIN Ralph C. flange, Providence, and Edwin S. Donle, Edgewood, R. lL, assignors to (lore, line, a corporation of lthode island Application April 27, 1956, Serial No. 581,147 '7 Claims. (Cl. 63-1) The present invention pertains generally to the jewelry art and has particular reference to a novel combination brooch and earring.

A primary object of the instant invention is the provi sion of a jewelry construction that may alternately be used as a brooch or an earring.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a combination brooch and earring having means for readily and easily adapting the same to its desired use.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of an earring having a resiliently biased clamping arm, which clamping arm also comprises as a component part thereof pin means, movable to an operative position whereby the device may be selectively utilized as a brooch.

A further object is the provision of a combination brooch pin and earring having means for covering the points of the brooch pin when the device is used as an earring whereby to prevent inadvertent pricking or injury thereby.

Still another object is the provision of a combination brooch and earring so constructed that the earring portion thereof is not effective unless the brooch pin is safely covered.

A further object of the instant invention is the provision of a combination brooch and earring wherein both the brooch pin and the earring clamping arm are resiliently biased by common spring means.

Still another object is the provision of a combination brooch and earring which is of compact construction whereby to readily lend itself to a plurality of ornamental appearances.

The instant invention also provides a combination earring and brooch which is of durable yet simple construction whereby it is economically feasible to manufacture and which is easy to operate and eflicient in operation,

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

in the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by us for carrying out our invention:

Fig. l is a front view of a combined earring and brooch embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof;

Pig. 3 is a side view thereof showing, in full lines, the earring clamping arm in engagement with an ear lobe, and in dotted lines, showing the earring clamping arm in non-operative position;

Fig. 4 is a rear view showing the brooch pin detached from its retaining cap;

Fig. 5 is a side View of the parts as shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top view thereof;

Pig. 7 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, and partly in section, showing the brooch pin in non-operative position;

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective of the earring clamping; arm assembly; and a Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of the brooch pin assembly.

It has been found desirable to provide a jewelry item which may be alternately used as an earring or a brooch, at the selection of the wearer. Accordingly, there is provided in the instant invention a construction embodying a clamping arm which is eflective when it is desirable to use the device as an earring, and a brooch pin which may be made effective when it is desired to use the device in the later capacity. As will be obvious, when the device is in use as an earring, it is necessary and desirable that thesharp point of the brooch pin be covered whereby to prevent inadvertent sticking and injury to the wearer. Accordingly, one of the more advantageous features of the instant invention herein to be described resides inthe fact that in order for the device to be effective as an earring, the pointed end of the brooch pin automatically will be shielded. Conversely, when the pointed end of the brooch pin is exposed, the device is incapable of use as an earring.

Thus there has been provided in accordance with our invention a jewelry item carrying on the rear surface thereof a pivotally mounted clamping arm. Also pivotally mounted on the same surface and preferably on the same pivotal axis is a brooch pin, which pin extends longitudinally adjacent to the aforementioned clamping arm. The free terminus of the clamping arm is provided with a slidable enclosure or retaining cap which is adapted to be moved to a position wherein it receives the pointed end of the brooch pin, thereby covering and shielding the same. When in this position, the brooch pin and the clamping arm will necessarily pivot as a unit, and due to the fact that the brooch pin is provided with resilient means normally urging it to a closed position in which it is located adjacent the ornamental support plate, the earring clamping arm will also be so biased. When the clamping arm retaining cap is moved away from the brooch pin whereby to expose the pointed end thereof, the device becomes adaptable for use as a brooch. When the parts are in this position, the resilient means carried by the brooch pin no longer exert any effect on the clampting arm, and hence the device is incapable of use as an earring. This constitutes a very desirable safety feature of our invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the combination brooch and earring constructed in accordance with. our invention is generally designated at 10 and comprises a support plate 12, preferably metallic, and of any desired con figuration, and comprising a front surface 14 to which may be secured by any desirable means suitable ornamentation (not shown). The rear surface 16 of support plate 12 has secured thereto by any suitable means, such as soldering or the like, a substantially U-shaped bracket 18 having a pair of spaced rearwardly extending hinge ears 20.

Referring now to Fig. 9, there is provided a brooch pin assembly generally designated at 22 and comprising a pair of identical pin members 24 having conventional pointed ends 26. Each of the pin members 24 at the extremity remote from its pointed end is provided with a laterally and outwardly extending arm portion 28 adapted to be pivotally received within apertures 30 provided in the aforementioned hinge ears M. The pins 24 are maintained in proper position by means of a sheet metal jacket element 32 which receives the shank portions of the pins 24 as at 34 and the laterally extending portions 28 of the pins as at 3%. The jacket 32 is provided with an upstanding lug 38 located intermediate joints 36, the function of which will hereinafter become apparent.

A clamping arm generally designated at: 40 (Fig. 8) comprises a substantially U-shaped upper portion 42, the legs of which terminate in rolled bearing portions 44, and the cross piece of which has depending therefrom an integral elongated leg 46 which is provided at its terminus with a shoulder abutment 48. Slidably mounted on the leg 46 is an extension member 50 having formed at its extremity an enclosure or retaining cap 52. Retaining cap 52 is integrally formed and is maintained in proper shape by means of side flaps 54 and a centrally disposed spacing lug 56. As will be seen most clearly in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, access may be had to the interior of the retaining cap 52 by means of the openings provided on either side of the centrally disposed lug 56. It will further be noted that these openings are in alignment with the pins 24 whereby when extension 50 is slid upwardly along depending leg 46, the pointed ends 26 of pins 24 will automatically be enclosed within the retaining cap 52. When the parts are in this position, the device is adapted for use as an earring, and it will be obvious that no danger of injury to the wearer due to inadvertent sticking by the pins exists. As will be obvious from Fig. 5, the surface of the retaining cap 52 which is most closely adjacent to support plate 12 and which is oppositely disposed with respect thereto will act as an ear engaging portion to securely grip the ear lobe of the wearer against said support plate. If desired, this surface maybe provided with frictional treads or the like 58 to prevent undesirable slipping of the earring from the ear.

In assembly, the rolled bearing portions 44 of the clamping arm are rotatably received by the outwardly extending arms 28 of the brooch pin whereby said clamping arm and said brooch pin are each pivotal on the same axis, although independent of each other. Also, as is thought to be obvious, the shoulder abutment 48 will function to limit relative sliding movement between extension 50 and lug 46.

In order that clamping arm 40 may exert the desired gripping tension on the ear of a wearer, resilient means are provided for normally biasing said arm towards gripping position. Said resilient means may take the form of a bowed leaf spring 60 which overlies bracket 18 and is retained in position by means of outwardly extending legs 64 which interengage with the bracket ears. The leaf spring 60 is adapted to cooperate with the lug 33 carried by the brooch pin jacket 32, said lug and spring cooperating to provide a toggle-like action elfective to either resiliently maintain the brooch pin in closed position, as per Fig. 5, or in completely open position, as per Fig. 7. Since the biasing means are directly associated with the brooch pin, it will be obvious that when the latter is interengaged with the clamping arm, said biasing means will also be effective with respect thereto. Conversely, when the clamping arm, and more specifically, when the clamping arm retaining cap 52 is disengaged from the brooch pins 24, said biasing means will have no effect whatsoever on the clamping arm whereby the device is incapable of use as an earring but rather can only be used as a brooch. As afo-rediscussed, this results in a safety feature which insures that the brooch pin points will never be exposed when the device is being used as an earring.

It is thought that the use and operation of the device as a brooch will be apparent from the foregoing description, but to briefly summarize, the parts are first positioned as in Fig. 5 wherein the retaining cap 52 is disengaged from the brooch means 24. The pins 24 are then snapped to their open position as per Fig. 7 wherein the pins are engaged in the usual manner with the clothing of the wearer. The pins 24 are then snapped once again into the position of Fig. 5 in order to maintain the brooch pins 24 against inadvertent disengagement from their mounting surface. Thus, it will be seen that there is provided in accordance with our invention an extreme- 1y compact and efficient arrangement of parts for achieving the desired result, namely, a single device which alternately may be utilized as either an earring or a brooch.

It will be understood that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept. For example, diiferent hinge means for pivotally mounting the brooch pins and the clamping arm could easily be provided as well as other types of resilient biasing means. Accordingly, the foregoing description is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A combination brooch and earring comprising a support plate, a bracket extending rearwardly therefrom, a brooch pin and a clamping arm pivotally associated with said bracket on the same axis but independent with respect to each other, and means carried by said clamping arm movable to receive a portion of said brooch pin whereby said pin and said arm may pivot as a unit, said movable means comprising a longitudinally slidable extension on said clamping arm having a protective enclosure at its extremity, said enclosure being adapted to receive therein the point of said brooch pin, when said extension is in pin receiving position.

2. In the device of claim 1, resilient means normally maintaining said pin adjacent said support plate.

3. A combination brooch and earring comprising a support plate, a bracket secured thereto and extending rearwardly therefrom and having means for pivotally receiving a brooch pin, a clamping arm also pivotally associated with said bracket and having a longitudinally slidable cap at its free extremity, said cap being in alignment with said brooch pin for receiving the free end of same, whereby said pin and said clamping arm may pivot as a'unit, and an ear engaging portion on the surface of said cap most closely adjacent to said support plate, said pin and said clamping arm being pivotal on the same axis.

4. In the device of claim 3, resilient means normally maintaining said pin in closed position.

5. A combination brooch and earring comprising a support plate having a pair of spaced aligned hinge ears extending rearwardly therefrom, a brooch pin having at least one pointed shank portion and a pair of laterally extending arms pivotally received by said hinge ears, and a clamping arm rotatably mounted on said laterally extending arms, and having a longitudinally slidable cap at its free extremity, said cap being in alignment with the pointed end of said brooch pin for receiving same upon longitudinal sliding movement theretowards, said cap having an ear engaging surface disposed substantially parallel to said support plate for gripping an ear lobe therebetween when said clamping arm is in closed position.

6. In the device of claim 5, resilient means associated with said brooch pin for normally maintaining said pin in closed position.

7. In the device of claim 5, said ear engaging surface having frictional treads formed thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,118,639 Bayardi May 24, 1938 2,120,216 Handman June 7, 1938 2,509,726 Darwergne May 30, 1950 2,510,511 Mittendorf June 6, 1950 2,601,433 Cuccioli Dec. 9, 1952 2,718,128 Richards Sept. 20, 1955 

